1577 


RED  CEDAR,   AUSTIN',   TEXAS 


CEDAR  CHESTS 

HOW  TO  MAKE  THEM 


By 
RALPH  F.  WINDOES 

Instructor'of  Manual  Training,  Davenport  High  School,  Davenport,  Iowa. 

Author  of  "Shop  Projects  of  Wood,"  "Architectural  Drawing 

for  Secondary  Schools,"  "Drafting  Instruments 

and  How  to  Use  Them,"  Etc. 


MILWAUKEE 
THE  BRUCE  PUBLISHING  COMPANY 


Copyrighted  1918 

by 
The  Bruce  Publishing  Company 


TT 


LIBRARY 

STATE  NORMAL  SCHOOL 

MANUAL  ARTS  AND  HOME  ECONOMICS 

SANTA  BARBARA,  CALIFORNIA 


PREFACE 


BELIEVING  that  the  popularity  of  the  cedar  chest 
as  a  cabinet  making  project  has  reached  con: 
siderable  proportions,  the  author  has  endeavored 
to  embody  under  one  cover  all  information  necessary 
to  the  design  and  construction  of  a  variety  of  chests. 
In  addition  to  this  mechanical  aspect  of  the  work,  he 
has  presented  some  information  of  educational  char- 
acter on  red  cedar  as  a  wood,  and  soiaething^of  inter- 
est concerning  the  development  of  the  chest:-  ^  .- 

As  information  of  this  character  has  been  lack- 
ing in  the  past,  he  hopes  that  the  book  will  meet 
with  the  approval  of  teachers  who  will  use  it  in  their 
work. 

Acknowledgment  is  due  to  the  Forest  Service  for 
the  use  of  the  illustrations  in  Chapter  I,  to  two  of 
the  author's  students,  Otto  J.  Teegen  and  James  A. 
Kelly,  for  the  great  assistance  rendered  by  them  in 
the  preparation  of  the  drawings,  and  to  the  Metro- 
politan Museum  of  Art,  New  York  City,  for  per- 
mission to  reproduce  photographs  of  historic  chests 
in  its  collections. 

RALPH  F.  WINDOES. 


CONTENTS 


CHAPTER  PAGE 

I  Red  Cedar....  9 

II  Cedar  Chests  ...  ..-.15 

III  How  to  Build  a  Simple  Chest 17 

IV  Cedar  Chest  Designs....  31 

V  The  Finishing  of  Cedar....  54 

VI  Copper  Trimmings .- 58 

VII  Matting  Boxes....  66 


CHAPTER  I 
Red  Cedar 

The  botanical  name  for  red  cedar  suitable  for  chest  construction  is 
Juniperus  virginiana,  or  Southern  Juniper,  as  it  is  familiarly  known.  Com- 
mercially, it  is  sold  as  "Tennessee  Red  Cedar."  There  are  other  cedar 
woods  but  none  of  them  should  be  used  in  chests  if  the  great  advantages 
of  cedar  are  to  be  derived.  Southern  Juniper  may  aptly  be  called  the 
"wood  imperishable,"  since,  under  ordinary  conditions,  it  will  never  de- 
cay. Placed  as  shingles  with  copper  nails,  there  is  little  doubt  but  that  it 
will  last  for  ages,  or  until  the  attacks  of  rain  and  wind  have  weathered  it 
away.  Until  recent  years  one  of  its  greatest  uses  has  been  in  telegraph 
poles,  fence  posts,  greenhouses,  etc.,  where  constant  contact  with  damp 
earth  would  soon  rot  away  a  less  durable  wood.  Now,  since  the  rapid  rise 
in  the  value  of  red  cedar  has  almost  prohibited  this  use,  cypress,  "the  wood 
eternal,"  has  largely  succeeded  it. 

LOG  HOUSES  OF  RED  CEDAR 

When  America  was  settled,  one  of  its  most  valued  natural  resources 
was  found  in  the  red  cedar  belt  of  the  South.  Settlers  migrating  to  this 
region  found  the  straight  cedar  logs  perfectly  suited  to  cabin  construction, 
consequently  the  best  trees  were  felled  and  utilized  in  the  building  of 
America's  first  homes.  As  time  went  on  and  the  settlers  prospered,  the 
logs  were  taken  from  the  houses,  and  assembled  into  barns,  frame  con- 
struction taking  their  place  in  the  homes.  Today,  these  old  logs,  perfectly 
preserved,  are  purchased  by  lumber  men,  as  some  of  the  most  select  red 
cedar  lumber  is  manufactured  from  them.  A  great  many  of  these  old  logs 
have  been  cut  up  into  lead  pencil  slabs,  as  cedar  is  the  best  wood  that  has 
ever  been  found  for  lead  pencils.  It  is  straight  grained  and  easily  cut  with 
a  knife — the  two  necessary  characteristics./'  Another  source  for  pencil 
supply  has  been  found  in  the  rail  fences,  so  common  in  the  South,  practically 
all  of  which  were  constructed  of  split  cedar  rails.  This  wood  is  so  highly 
prized  by  pencil  makers  that  many  fences  have  been  bought  up  at  such 
prices  that  modern  fences  have  taken  their  places,  leaving  a  comfortable 
profit  for  the  owner. 

WHERE  RED  CEDAR  ABOUNDS 

The  geographical  range  of  red  cedar  is  very  wide  and  hard  to  define. 
Roughly  speaking,  it  can  be  found  westward  to  Minnesota,  south  to 


10 


CEDAR  CHESTS 


Florida,  and  southwest  thru  Texas.  The  finest  forests  were  originally  found 
in  middle  Tennessee,  in  Davidson,  Rutherford,  Bedford,  Marshall,  and 
Warren  counties,  with  a  considerable  quantity  in  the  breaks  of  the  Cumber- 
land plateau  and  in  Eastern  Tennessee.  There  was  considerable  red  cedar 
also  in  Southern  Virginia,  North  Alabama  and  in  Georgia,  while  some  is 
found  in  Arkansas  in  the  Ozark  Mountains. 


Fig.  1.     Red  Cedar  and  Loblolly  Pine;   Occasional  Scrub  Pine  in  the 
Background.     Southern  Maryland 

These  belts  are  still  the  most  reliable  source  of  supply,  some  of  them 
having  been  cut  over  a  great  many  times.  Second  growth,  altho  it  is 
stunted,  more  knotty,  and  contains  more  sapwood  than  first  growth,  finds 
a  market  in  fence  posts  and  a  very  little  in  furniture  construction. 


RED  CEDAR 


11 


DEPLETION  OF  THE  CEDAR  SUPPLY 

The  supply  of  Southern  Juniper  in  this  country,  both  first  and  second 
growth,  is  rapidly  being  depleted.  There  is  no  reason  why  this  condition 
should  exist.  The  early  settlers,  anxious  to  clear  their  lands,  destroyed  it 
ruthlessly,  it  is  true,  yet  it 
lends  itself  so  readily  to  re- 
forestation that  it  is  difficult 
to  surmise  why  steps  to  main- 
tain its  constant  supply  were 
not  taken  along  ago.  About 
two  hundred  years  ago,  a 
Swedish  naturalist,  Peter 
Kalm,  after  traveling  over  the 
settled  portion  of  the  country, 
wrote  at  some  length  upon 
the  splendid  qualities  of  red 
cedar,  and  prophesied  its  early 
extinction  unless  steps  were 
taken  to  replenish  the  supply. 

In  Poor  Richard's  Al- 
manac for  1749,  Benjamin 
Franklin  urged  the  people  to 
plant  and  foster  the  growth  Fi*'  2' 

of  red  cedar.     He  was  of  the 

opinion  that  the  rapid  clearing  of  the  land,  the  constant  need  of  wood  for 
fuel  would  soon  destroy  the  slow-growing  oaks  and  other  hardwoods,  and 
that  "it  would  be  to  our  advantage  to  endeavor  to  raise  some  other  kind 
of  timber  that  will  grow  faster  or  come  sooner. 

"The  red  cedar  (a  species  of  juniper)  I  take  to  be  the  most  profitable 
tree  for  fencing  and  several  other  uses  that  we  can  raise  in  our  country, 
considering  how  easily  it  may  be  raised  from  seed,  its  readiness  to  grow 
on  most  kinds  of  soil,  its  quick  growth,  the  profits  it  will  afford  while  it  is 
arriving  at  maturity,  and  the  long  duration  of  the  wood  when  grown  to 
a  proper  size  for  the  materials  we  want  for  our  several  occasions  in 
husbandry  and  building.  I  know  of  no  other  tree  that  will  grow  so  well  on 
such  different  soils  as  this  will,  for  upon  our  sandy  beaches,  which  are 
nothing  but  beds  of  sand,  they  grow  as  thick  as  possible,  from  whence  many 
thousand  posts  for  fencing  are  brought  into  Pennsylvania  and  York  govern- 
ments, and  I  have  seen,  in  a  great  many  swamps  upon  a  branch  of  the 


12 


CEDAR  CHESTS 


Susquehannah,  great  trees  growing,  near  18  inches  diameter,  70  feet  high, 
and  very  straight.  And  the  inhabitants  near  the  mountains,  upon  Hudson 
Bay,  make  a  great  use  of  them  for  making  large  hovels  or  barracks  to  put 
their  corn  in  before  it  is  threshed.  They  will  grow  well  in  high  gravely 
or  clay  soil,  in  rich  or  poor,  or  even  upon  a  rock,  if  there  be  but  half  a  foot 


Fig.  3.     Fifty  Year  Old  Cedar,  Job's  Swamp,  Ocean  County,  New  Jersey 

of  land  or  earth  upon  it.  It  is  much  to  be  valued  for  its  quick  growth  from 
seed,  the  little  sap  and  much  durable  heart,  which  is  acquired  sooner  than 
any  tree  that  we  can  raise  on  common  land.  Indeed,  the  mulberry  and 
locust  are  of  quick  growth  in  very  rich  land,  but  not  upon  poor." 


RED  CEDAR 


13 


That  the  predictions  of  Kalm  and  Franklin  have  been  substantiated 
is  a  well  known  fact  since  the  cedar  of  commercial  size  grown  in  the  Eastern 
and  New  England  States — of  which  they  spoke — has  long  since  been  ex- 


•t 


Fig.  4.      Mature  Cedar  Brake  Along  Road.     No  Underbrush,  but  the  Young 
Cedar  Seedlings  Fill  all  Gaps.     Marble  Falls,  Burnet  County,  Texas 

hausted.     Neither  knew  of  the  extensive  cedar  growths  in  the  South  and 
West,  yet  the  original  growth  of  these  regions  is  very  near  exhaustion. 

Luckily,  our  efficient  Forest  Service  is  at  this  time  doing  everything  in 
its  power  to  encourage  reforestation  of  the  cedar  tracts,  and  the  future  of 
the  red  cedar  tree  looks  more  promising  than  the  present. 


14 


CEDAR  CHESTS 


CHARACTERISTICS  OF  RED  CEDAR 


As  has  been  intimated,  red  cedar  is  a  very  durable  wood.  It  is  also 
light,  straight  grained,  does  not  warp  readily,  will  dry  out  rapidly,  takes  a 
beautiful  finish,  and  has  a  most  pleasant  aroma,  but  one  which  is  moth  and 
insect  repelling.  Moths  shun  the  red  cedar,  as  other  insects  shun  the 
pennyroyal  herb. 

These  favorable  characteristics  all  combine  to  make  red  cedar  the  ideal 
wood  for  chest  construction.  Chests  must  be  light,  yet  strong;  good  to 
look  upon  when  finished;  of  such  flat  stock  that  the  finish  on  one  side  alone 
will  not  cause  the  wood  to  warp;  and  they  must  be  moth  proof.  Southern 
Juniper  furnishes  all  of  these  desirable  points,  and  in  addition  its  pleasant 
aroma  permits  the  immediate  wearing  of  apparel  taken  from  the  cedar  chest 
without  airing,  as  must  be  done  with  garments  protected  by  moth  balls. 


Small  Carved  Wood  Chest  of  Venetian  Make  (Sixteenth  Century) 


CHAPTER  II 
Cedar  Chests 

The  chest,  or  coffer,  has  had  a  varied  existence.  Its  present  popularity 
was  preceded  by  a  period  in  which  new  chests  were  a  rarity.  Previous  to 
this  time — taking  us  back  to  our  great-grandmothers'  days — the  chest, 
in  the  form  of  the  "dower  chest,"  was  the  proud  possession  of  every  girl 
with  visions.  Why  its  popularity  suffered  is  hard  to  surmise,  unless  it  was 
relegated  as  being  "old-fashioned,"  and,  therefore,  obsolete.  In  recent 
years  those  in  society  who  make  things  fashionable  have  restored  it  to  its 
place  of  usefulness  and  beauty,  and  today  there  are  very  few  girls  whose 
possessions  do  not  include  a  chest. 

OLD  ITALIAN  CHESTS 

Long  before  the  era  of  convenient  furniture,  chests,  or  coffers,  were 
the  one  article  of  utility  in  every  home.  In  them  was  kept  clothing,  val- 
uables of  every  description,  and  even  food-stuffs. 

In  early  days,  these  chests  were  crude,  ugly  affairs,  made  for  utility 
alone.  Later,  especially  in  Italy,  they  developed  into  articles  of  beauty. 

This  development  reached  its  height  at  the  time  of  the  Renaissance 
when  the  greatest  artists  of  the  day  took  up  the  decorating  of  them.  Carv- 
ing and  painting,  furnished  to  the  wealthy  at  great  expense,  produced 
articles  whose  magnificence  is  astounding.  These  beautiful  chests  were 
usually  presented  to  Italian  "brides-to-be,"  who  kept  their  dowery  of  rich 
velvets,  magnificent  brocade,  and  other  treasures  of  maidenhood  safely 
under  their  covers. 

With  the  ever-changing  ideas  of  humanity,  the  beautiful  chest  lost 
its  popularity,  and  some  wonderful  specimens  of  Renaissance  artistry  were 
relegated  to  the  scrap  heap.  A  few  were  saved — perhaps  for  the  associa- 
tions they  suggested — eventually  to  be  prized  and  handed  down  from  genera- 
tion to  generation,  preserved  in  the  national  museums,  or  homes  where 
wealth  permits  the  collection  of  old  furniture. 

NEW  ENGLAND  CHESTS 

In  quaint  old  New  England,  the  seventeenth  century  bride  considered 
her  future  happiness  to  depend  largely  upon  the  contents  of  her  "dower 
chest."  Every  maid  had  one — sometimes  more  than  one — in  which  she 
assiduously  collected  her  trousseau — her  beautiful  handmade  linens,  her 


16  CEDAR  CHESTS 

gorgeous  silks  and  satins,  preparatory  to  the  day  of  her  ascension  into 
home-making. 

Nothing,  perhaps,  in  her  interesting  life  could  she  recall,  in  later  days, 
as  vividly  as  her  old  dower  chest,  and  nothing,  perhaps,  did  she  prize  as 
highly. 

In  those  days  few  chests  were  made  of  cedar — oak  being  the  wood  pre- 
ferred. Using  the  chest,  as  did  the  old-time  bride,  merely  to  assemble  her 
trousseau,  its  storage  properties  were  not  considered  as  they  are  today. 

PRESENT  DAY  DEVELOPMENT 

Why  the  chest  lost  its  popularity  is  hard  to  determine.  It  may  be 
that  moths,  developing  in  the  oak  chest  and  devouring  its  contents,  were  a 
determining  factor,  or  it  may  be  simply  a  passing  whim  of  society  that 
relegated  the  chest.  When  red  cedar  came  into  favor  as  the  universal  chest 
material,  repelling  moths  and  other  insects,  and  permitting  of  most  beauti- 
ful finishes,  the  chest  returned  to  its  own. 

The  present-day  mother — the  far-sighted  mother — is  instilling  the 
dower  chest  notion  into  the  hearts  of  her  children  as  did  her  great-grand- 
mother years  ago.  It  is  not  a  sentimental  whim  which  prompts  her  to  do 
this,  it  is  strictly  a  utilitarian  one. 

Girls,  the  majority  at  least,  will  some  day  marry.  If  they  have  a  chest 
they  will  sew  and  save  to  fill  it,  if  not,  they  may  come  to  the  altar  unpre- 
pared, or  purchase  at  one  time  those  things  that  their  own  labor  and  years 
of  association  should  endear  to  them.  Even  if  they  never  marry,  bachelor 
girls  must  clothe  themselves,  and  some  even  fit  up  small  apartments  in 
which  to  live,  hence  this  saving  will  not  be.  a  loss. 

Cedar  chests  may  be  purchased  ready  made,  of  course,  but  their 
rather  high  price  prohibits  their  possession  by  some.  Manual  training 
students  or  home  craftsmen  will  find  in  the  chest  a  most  attractive  project 
of  construction,  and  one  made  by  a  boy  as  a  present  to  an  older  sister  will 
give  the  chest,  in  her  sight,  an  added  charm. 


CHAPTER  III 
How  to  Build  a  Simple  Chest 

It  is  naturally  assumed  that  the  builder  of  a  cedar  chest  knows  the 
fundamental  tool  processes,  as  a  project  of  this  kind  is  no  task  for  an  abso- 
lute beginner  to  attempt,  hence  but  little  attention  will  be  paid  to  processes 
that  would  ordinarily  be  known  by  the  graduate  of  a  grammar  school. 

THE  MILL  BILL 

Chest  Design  Number  1,  illustrated  in  perspective  in  Fig.  5,  and  whose 
working  drawing  appears  in  Fig.  6,  is  of  very  simple  construction. 

Its  stock  can  be  purchased  glued-up  and  sandpapered,  coming  to  the 
builder  as  in  Fig.  7,  almost  ready  to  assemble,  or  the  boards  can  be  secured 
surfaced  on  two  sides,  to  be  jointed,  doweled,  and  finished  by  hand.  Both 
methods  will  be  considered  in  this  chapter. 

The  stock  list,  if  the  wood  is  to  be  glued-up  and  sandpapered  at  the 
mill,  should  comprise  the  following  pieces: 

2  pcs.  red  cedar  for  sides  f  "xl8£"x38" 

2  pcs.  red  cedar  for  ends  f"xl8f"x!9" 

2  pcs.  red  cedar  for  top  and  bottom  f "x20|"x40" 
1  pc.  red  cedar  for  feet  f"x2i"x60" 

3  pcs.  red  cedar  for  inside  strips  f  "xf  "x36" 

4  pcs.  red  cedar  for  inside  corners  If'xlf "x!8" 
1  pc.  red  cedar  for  handles  I|"x2"xl2£" 


O 

•I      Ij 


M 

z1 


g 
tj 

H 


«o!4- 
T 


T 


X 


8 


£ 


X 

u 

< ! 

p 

o 


-9/- 


a 


W 


HOW  TO  BUILD  A  SIMPLE  CHEST  19 

An  exact  checking  of  the  mill  bill  and  the  working  drawing  will 
show  that  an  allowance  has  been  made  in  some  instances  that  will  need  to 
be  cut  to  fit  by  the  builder.  For  example,  the  sides  are  \"  wider  and  about 
2"  longer  than  the  working  drawing  calls  for.  This  allowance  has  been 
made  so  that  the  craftsman  can  secure  exact  dimensions  with  perfectly 
square  ends. 


Fig.  7 

As  surfaced  and  machine  sanded  stock  is  specified,  all  that  remains 
for  the  builder  to  do  is  to  square  up  the  ends  and  edges,  cut  the  feet  and 
handles,  and  assemble. 

SIDES  AND  ENDS 

Plane  one  edge  of  each  side  and  end  perfectly  straight  and  square  with 
the  surfaces.  Check  these  for  "working  edges."  Measure  over  18"  and 
with  a  straight-edge,  mark  the  width  on  each.  Plane  carefully  to  this  line, 
keeping  the  edges  square  across. 

With  the  steel  square,  holding  the  blade  against  the  working  edges  in 
each  case,  square  lines  across  one  end  of  each  piece  about  f ". 

Saw  about  \"  outside  of  these  lines  and  plane  down  to  them,  testing 
constantly  with  the  try-square  across  the  end  grain  and  the  steel  square, 
the  blade  of  which  is  held  against  the  working  edge.  When  perfectly  straight 


20  CEDAR  CHESTS 

and  square,  measure  down  36"  on  the  sides  and  16|"  on  the  ends,  square 
lines  across,  and  repeat  the  sawing  and  planing. 

TOP  AND  BOTTOM 

The  top  and  bottom  pieces  are  squared  up  in  exactly  the  same  way, 
but  they  finish  20"x38".  The  upper  surfaces  of  each  have  their  edges  and 
ends  carefully  rounded,  using  a  radius  of  £".  This  is  accomplished  by  plan- 
ing and  sandpapering  with  a  rather  coarse  and  then  a  fine  sandpaper. 

These  parts  are  now  ready  to  assemble,  but  this  will  not  be  discussed 
until  the  hand  finishing  of  stock  is  described. 

JOINTING  AND  GLUING  WIDE  STOCK 

If  stock  that  has  been  machine  surfaced  on  two  sides  is  purchased  for 
the  chest,  the  builder  doing  his  own  gluing,  the  following  stock  will  be 
needed: 

30  board  feet  red  cedar,  surfaced  two  sides  to  £" 

1  pc.  red  cedar  for  inside  corners  If  "xlf  "x72" 

1  pc.  red  cedar  for  handles  I£"x2"xl2|" 

SAWING  UP^  THE  STOCK 

The  stock<  will"  come  in  pieces  from  4"  to  10"  wide  and  from  8  ft.  to 
12  ft.  long.  Place  the  strips  side  by  side  on  the  saw  horses,  and  work  com- 
binations whereby  the  greatest  saving  of  stock  will  be  effected.  There 
should  be  about  2"  allowed  for  jointing  and  squaring,  making  the  sides 
and  ends,  rough,  20",  and  the  top  and  bottom  22".  Saw  off  the  lengths, 


CL 


Fig.  8 


HOW  TO  BUILD  A  SIMPLE  CHEST 


21 


allowing  about  2"  over-length  in  each  case.     Save  the  sawed-off  ends,  if 
they  are  7"  or  over  in  length,  for  the  feet. 

JOINTING 

Mark  each  piece  "Side  A,"  "Side  B,"  "End  A,"  "End  B,"  etc.,  so 
that  they  will  not  become  mixed.  Begin  with  one  side,  putting  all  other 
stock  away. 

Determine  by  a  plane  stroke  or  two  which  way  the  grain  runs  in  each 
piece,  and  mark  this  direction  by  means  of  arrows,  as  in  Fig.  8.  Also, 
number  the  adjacent  edges. 

Assuming  the  position  of  Fig.  9,  carefully  run  the  jointer  plane  over 
all  edges  that  come  together.  Hold  it  down  on  the  knob,  when  starting  a 
cut,  and  hard  on  the  handle  when  finishing.  Keep  the  sides  of  the  plane 
parallel  to  the  sides  of  the  board  being  planed. 

A  few  strokes  should  make  the  edge  perfectly  straight  with  the  grain, 
when  it  should  be  tested  with  the  try-square  to  be  certain  that  it  is  square 
with  the  surfaces. 


22 


CEDAR  CHESTS 


When  it  is  straight  as  to  length  and  square  across,  lay  it  aside  and 
place  the  edge  it  is  to  join  with  in  the  vise.  Do  exactly  the  same  with  this 
edge,  and  test  it  by  placing  the  edge  formerly  planed  down  on  top  of  it, 
Fig.  10.  Sighting  toward  the  light  will  show  whether  or  not  exact  work 
has  been  accomplished.  High  spots  will  be  easily  detected  and  planed  off. 

If  there  is  a  long,  thin  opening  in  the  center  of  the  two  edges,  it  may  be 
left,  as  the  clamps  will  close  it  and  when  the  wood  dries  out,  end-opening 


Fig.  10 

of  joints  will  be  prevented.    But  this  opening  must  not  be  more  than  1-64" 
as  the  clamps  might  not  pull  it  down  and  hold  it  if  it  were  greater. 

Repeat  with  the  other  edges,  and  when  all  boards  for  one  side  have 
been  joined,  place  them  into  position  and  test  with  the  steel  square,  as  in 
Fig.  11.  If  they  do  not  combine  to  form  a  straight  surface,  those  edges 
that  are  not  square  across  grain  must  be  planed. 

DOWELING 

Altho  stock  jointed  and  glued  up  at  the  mill  is  not  doweled,  stock 
hand  jointed  must  be.  Use  f "  dowel  pins,  placed  about  8"  apart,  the  end 
pins  starting  about  3"  from  the  ends  of  the  boards. 


HOW  TO  BUILD  A  SIMPLE  CHEST 


23 


To  lay  out  the  dowel  holes,  place  the  edges  that  are  to  be  joined  back 
to  back  in  the  vise.  With  a  sharp  knife  and  the  try-square,  square  lines 
across  the  grain.  Mark  intersecting  lines  with  the  grain  with  the  marking 
gauge,  running  the  spur  in  the  exact  center  of  the  edges. 

At  the  intersections  of  the  gauge  and  knife  lines,  bore  f "  holes  about 
1"  deep  in  both  boards,  Fig.  12.  Slightly  countersink  these  holes. 

Cut  the  dowel  pins  about  If"  long,  point  their  ends  a  little,  and  cut 
a  shallow  groove  along  the  edge  to  allow  the  surplus  glue  to  escape,  and 
thus  prevent  splitting  the  boards. 

GLUING 

Place  the  boards  in  position  on  the  saw  horses  near  the  glue  pot.  Have 
the  glue  heated — if  hot  glue  is  used — and  all  clamps  in  position  at  hand. 
Remember  that  you  can  not  stop  to  look  for  anything  when  the  hot  glue  is 
once  applied. 

Pieces  this  narrow  will  have  little  tendency  to  buckle,  especially  if 
the  bar  clamps  are  put  on  opposite  sides,  but  it  may  be  wise  to  have  four 
hand  screws  ready  with  battens  cut  the  correct  length  in  case  they  do. 


24 


CEDAR  CHESTS 


Dip  the  dowels,  one  at  a  time,  in  the  glue  and  drive  in  place  along  one 
edge  of  each  board.  Quickly  tip  this  edge  and  its  mate  up,  and  apply  a 
thin  layer  of  glue  to  each.  Drop  them  into  position  and  drive  them  to- 
gether. Repeat  with  the  other  edges,  and  place  the  bar  clamps  in  position, 
as  Fig.  13  illustrates.  Tighten  the  clamps  until  all  the  surplus  glue  is 
squeezed  out,  and  apply  the  hand  screws  if  the  boards  show  any  tendency 
to  buckle. 


It  is  well  to  warm  the  boards  slightly  if  hot  glue  is  used. 
In  case  cold  glue  is  used,  allow  it  to  stand  ten  or  fifteen  minutes  be- 
fore applying  the  clamps.     It  will  stick  better. 

SURFACING 

After  all  six  wide  pieces  have  been  glued  up  in  the  above  manner  and 
allowed  to  dry  over  night,  the  clamps  are  removed  and  the  surfaces 
smoothed  up. 

Scrape  off  as  much  glue  that  has  dried  on  the  surfaces  as  possible,  as 
hard  glue  will  dull  the  plane  bit. 

Begin  with  a  very  sharp  jack  plane,  and  plane  the  surface  down  smooth. 
Cross-planing  is  allowable  on  red  cedar  on  account  of  the  knots,  but  be 
very  careful  not  to  rip  up  deep  grooves.  When  planed  as  nearly  flat  as 


HOW  TO  BUILD  A  SIMPLE  CHEST  25 

possible,  scrape  with  a  sharp  cabinet  scraper.  This  should  not  be  held  in 
the  hand,  but  should  be  used  in  a  scraper  plane.  Scraping  should  remove 
all  rough  spots  from  the  wood. 

Finally,  sandpaper  the  entire  surface  with  No.  1J  sandpaper,  and 
finish  with  No.  0. 

SQUARING  UP 

Cut  these  pieces  to  dimensions  and  square  them  up  as  has  already 
been  described  for  the  mill-glued  stock.  Pieces  that  have  been  ripped  from 
the  edges  should  be  saved. 


Fig.  13 

ASSEMBLING 

Fig.  14  illustrates  various  joints  used  in  chest  construction.  With  the 
simple  design  taken  as  our  model  in  this  chapter,  we  will  employ  the  plain 
butt,  nailing  the  pieces  together  with  8d  finishing  nails. 

It  will  be  noticed  from  the  working  drawing  that  the  sides  are  nailed 
onto  the  ends.  To  prevent  splitting,  a  number  of  small  holes  should  first 
be  drilled  thru  the  sides.  Apply  glue  to  the  ends  before  driving  the  nails 
in  place. 

When  the  sides  and  ends  have  been  assembled,  cut  a  stick  the  length 


JOINTS    UvSLD     IN    CHL^T 
CONSTRUCTION 


DOVL-TAIL 


Pig.  14 


HOW  TO  BUILD  A  SIMPLE  CHEST 


27 


of  one  diagonal  of  the  box,  and  use  this  to  test  on  the  other  diagonal.    If 
the  box  is  square,  both  diagonals  will  be  the  same  length. 

Place  the  bottom  side  up  and  screw  the  bottom  to  the  sides  and  ends. 
Use  If"  No.  8  flat  head  screws  well  countersunk.  Bore  the  holes  thru  the 
bottom  rather  large  to  allow  for  any  expansion  or  contraction,  and  use 
about  twelve  screws. 

TRIANGULAR  CORNER  STRIPS 

In  the  inside  corners  of  the  box,  triangular  strips  should  be  securely 
glued.  They  are  made  by  ripping  on  the  diagonal  of  the  If"  square  pieces, 
and  should  be  made  17"  long,  Fig.  15.  They  help  to  strengthen  the  chest. 


Fig.  15 

FEET 

The  working  drawing  gives  a  detail  of  the  feet.  Two  pieces  7"  long 
and  2|"  wide  are  cut  to  shape  as  shown.  Their  adjoining  ends  are  mitered, 
glued,  and  nailed.  On  the  inside  corner  a  block  If"  square  is  glued  to  help 
strengthen  the  joint  and  to  carry  the  caster.  These  feet  are  screwed  onto 
the  bottom  piece.  HANDLES 

Handles  may  be  purchased,  but  they  are  so  easily  made  that  they  are 
not  worth  the  expense  involved.  The  working  drawing  gives  a  detail  of  a 
good  shape,  but  this  is  only  a  suggestion.  The  inside  is  gouged  out  for  a 
finger  hold. 

The  handles  are  attached  with  flat  head  screws  from  the  inside  of 
the  box,  and  glued. 


METHODS    OF   MAtCJNG    THL 
CHL6T     DU5T-PR-.OQF 


HOW  TO  BUILD  A  SIMPLE  CHEST 


29 


THE  COVER 

A  good  chest  is  dust-proof.  There  are  three  ways  of  rendering  it  so 
illustrated  in  Fig.  16.  The  first  has  false  edges  glued  around  the  under 
edges  of  the  top,  this  false  edge  extending  down  over  the  sides  and  ends. 
The  third  has  a  strip  fastened  to  the  top  inside  of  the  edges  and  ends,  while 
the  second  is  a  combination  of  the  other  two. 

In  our  example,  the  third  method  will  be  employed. 

Cut  two  strips  34| "  long  from  stock  f"  square,  and  two  pieces  15" 
long.  Screw  and  glue  them  in  place. 

HINGING 

Two  plain  butt  hinges  2|"  long  with  a  f "  leaf  will  do  on  this  chest. 
They  may  be  let  into  both  the  top  and  the  upper  edge  of  the  side  piece,  or 
entirely  into  the  edge.  Another  method  often  used  in  schools  is  that  of 
placing  the  hinges  on  the  outside  of  the  back  and  the  under  side  of  the  top. 
This  is  the  most  simple  as  it  involves  no  chiseling,  and,  since  the  chest  is 
usually  placed  against  a  wall,  does  not  look  bad,  especially  if  an  orna- 
mental hinge  is  used. 

Two  chains  or  desk  supports  should  be  used  to  prevent  the  lid  from 
swinging  way  back  and  straining  the  hinges.  See  Fig.  52,  Chapter  VII. 

FINISHING 

Directions  for  finishing  and  preparing  the  wood  for  finish  are  given  in 
Chapter  V.  Of  course  the  nails  should  be  well  set  and  filled  as  explained. 


A  French  Chest  of  the  Late  XV  Century  (Gothic  Period) 


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CHAPTER  IV 
Cedar  Chest  Designs 

Variety  in  design  is  so  essential  in  cabinet  making  classes  that  a  num- 
ber of  different  styles  of  chests  are  presented  in  this  chapter.  Altho  a 
great  many  teachers  follow  the  practice  of  giving  the  student  a  working 
drawing  to  follow,  it  is  recommended  that  the  designs  herewith  presented 
be  used  only  as  models — that  from  them  each  boy  will  combine,  and  add 
his  own  ideas  to  evolve  what  may  be  called  "an  original  design."  Only 
by  so  doing  will  the  student  derive  his  greatest  benefit  from  the  work. 

DESIGN  NO.  2 

In  Fig.  18  is  presented  a  perspective  of  the  chest  whose  working  draw- 
ing is  given  in  Fig.  17.  This  chest  is  very  similar  to  Design  No.  1  described 
in  the  previous  chapter.  Its  dimensions  are  practically  the  same,  but  in 
this  case,  the  ends  are  fastened  to  the  sides,  and  the  end  grain — appearing 
on  the  front — is  covered  by  a  curved  piece  of  cedar  If"  wide.  The  feet 
also  differ  as  the  detail  shows. 


Fig.  18 


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CEDAR  CHEST  DESIGNS 


33 


DESIGN  NO.  3 

In  this  design  we  have  a  larger  chest  than  the  previous,  but  whose 
construction  is  the  same.  The  end  grain,  appearing  on  the  front,  is  covered 
with  strips  of  copper.  These  may  be  put  on  as  corners  extending  over  the 
ends  also,  or  merely  as  plates  on  the  front,  as  Fig.  20  illustrates.  The  feet 
are  detailed  with  Design  No.  1. 


CEDAR  CHEST  DESIGNS 


35 


Fig.  22 


DESIGN  NO.  4 

One  of  the  most  popular  chest  designs  is  illustrated  in  Fig.  21.  In  this, 
the  edges  are  rounded,  giving  it  an  easy,  graceful  appearance.  It  requires 
careful,  accurate  work,  as  the  joints  can  not  be  covered  with  strips  or 
copper  as  with  the  previous  styles. 


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DESIGN  NO.  5 

In  Fig.  24  is  shown  a  chest  whose  design  permits  it  to  be  used  as  a 
window  seat  when  covered  "with  a  cushion.  Its  appearance  is  very  at- 
tractive as  it  has  heavy,  massive  ends,  giving  it  an  air  of  solidity.  The  ends 
can  be  built  up  flush,  as  the  drawing,  Fig.  23,  illustrates,  or  paneled.  A 
\"  strip  is  glued  to  the  front  edge  of  the  top,  making  it  appear  to  be  as  thick 
as  the  ends.  The  drawings  illustrate  copper  plates  on  the  front,  but,  if 
good  work  is  accomplished,  these  may  well  be  omitted. 


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CEDAR  CHEST  DESIGNS 


39 


Fig.  26 


DESIGN  NO.  6 

A  paneled  chest,  Figs.  25  and  26,  looks  well  when  accurate  work  has 
been  done.  It,  of  course,  means  a  great  deal  of  mortising  and  routing,  but, 
where  power  machines  are  available,  does  not  consume  a  great  amount  of 
time.  A  chest  built  up  as  previously  described  with  \"  strips  glued  on  will 
give  the  same  effect.  A  study  of  both  drawings  will  make  the  construction 
clear  to  the  average  student. 


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CEDAR  CHEST  DESIGNS 


41 


Fig.  28 


DESIGN  NO.  7 

Design  No.  7,  Figs.  27  and  28,  is  a  rather  odd  design  from  the  fact 
that  it  contains  a  drawer.  It  is  built  in  the  usual  manner,  but  has  two 
bottoms  and  an  opening  in  the  front  for  the  drawer  to  slide  into.  It  should 
be  built  of  cedar  thruout,  but  a  slight  saving  can  be  effected  if  the  lower 
bottom  is  of  a  cheaper  wood  or  even  a  frame. 


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Fig.  30 


DESIGN  NO.  8 

This  chest  involves  a  little  turning,  but  otherwise  its  construction  is 
simple.  A  f "  piece  is  set  into  the  upright  end  pieces  of  stock  l|"xlf ", 
and  another  piece  mortised  in  between  them  at  the  top.  This  latter  piece 
has  had  a  handle  turned  in  its  center,  and  two  round  tenons  on  its  ends. 
These  tenons  are  glued  into  holes  bored  in  the  uprights.  Fig.  29  makes  this 
construction  clear.  Aside  from  this,  the  construction  is  very  similar  to 
Design  No.  5. 

DESIGN  NO.  9 

At  first  glance,  Fig.  32  presents  a  chest  of  difficult  design,  yet  a  careful 
understanding  of  its  construction  will  show  it  to  be  quite  simple.  The  box 
is  built  up  with  plain  butt  ends,  and  four  corner  legs  are  cut  out  according 
to  the  detail  on  Fig.  31.  A  right  angle  groove  is  cut  into  the  center  of  each 
leg,  and  this  fits  over  the  corners  of  the  chest.  Glue  and  long  screws  from 
the  inside  of  the  box  hold  them  in  place,  as  detailed  in  Fig.  33.  The  little 
brackets  shown  in  the  perspective  are  doweled  onto  the  legs  after  the  lat- 
ter have  been  fastened  in  place.  At  the  top  and  bottom  strips  of  small 


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CEDAR  CHEST  DESIGNS 


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D£TAILv3    OF  DE6IGN   NO  9 


AUCTION   OF 
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CEDAR  CHEST  DESIGNS 


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Fig.  35 


moulding  may  be  cut  by  hand,  or  special  mill  orders  will  secure  it  from 
the  dealers.  The  panels  are  made  of  similar  mouldings  but  these  may  be 
omitted  if  desired.  The  top  shows  a  raised  panel.  There  are  two  methods 
used  to  secure  this  effect.  In  the  most  simple,  the  f "  top  is  built  up  and 
another,  thinner  piece,  glued  over  it.  If  the  shop  has  a  veneer  press,  this 
method  is  very  easy.  Of  course  there  is  excessive  weight  when  this  con- 
struction is  used.  The  alternate  method  is  to  build  up  a  frame  with  either 
mortised  or  mitered  ends,  and  set  the  f "  top  into  this  frame.  It  can  be 
secured  with  nails  and  glue  from  the  under  side. 

DESIGN  NO.  10 

Figs.  34  and  35  illustrate  a  chest  of  the  William  and  Mary  period  style. 
It  is  built  up  as  the  others  have  been  with  plain  butt  joints,  and  over  the 
corners,  as  with  Design  No.  9,  the  legs  are  fastened.  These  are  turned 
on  a  wood  lathe,  a  quarter  of  the  pieces  being  cut  out.  They  can  be  cut 
after  the  turning  is  finished,  or  before.  The  latter  plan  is  the  more  simple, 
as  a  frame  must  be  constructed  to  hold  the  legs  while  being  sawed  if  they 
have  been  previously  turned.  If  the  section  is  removed  before  turning  it 
is  a  good  plan  to  make  the  two  circular  saw  cuts  thru  the  middle  of  the  piece 
without  cutting  thru  to  the  ends.  This  will  permit  good  centers  to  be  ob- 
tained, and  it  may  prevent  excessive  chipping  of  the  edges.  The  wood 
can  be  removed  when  the  ends  are  cut  off  on  the  lathe,  or  they  may  be 
carefully  chiseled  out.  The  panel  effect  is  secured  with  small  mouldings 
mitered  at  their  corners.  These  may  be  omitted,  if  desired,  without 
spoiling  the  appearance  of  the  chest. 


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CEDAR  CHEST  DESIGNS 


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Fig.  37 

UNDER-BED  CHEST 

As  its  title  indicates,  the  chest  design  shown  in  Figs.  36  and  37  is 
meant  to  roll  under  the  bed.  It  is  of  very  simple  construction,  and  most 
useful  in  small  bedrooms  and  flats. 


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CEDAR  CHEST  DESIGNS 


CHEST  OF  DRA 


A  chest  of  cedar  drawers,  Fig.  38,  has  so  many  advantages  that  little 
need  be  said  concerning  it.  Its  additional  room  and  separate  compart- 
ments commend  it  highly.  Its  construction  is  exactly  like  the  usual  cabinet 
construction,  all  parts,  wherever  possible,  being  mortised  and  tenoned 
together.  The  detail  of  the  drawer  construction,  Fig.  40,  shows  the  fronts 
to  extend  -past  the  sides,  the  edges  being  rounded.  This  gives  the  chest  a 
most  pleasing  appearance  and  renders  it  dust-proof.  If  desired,  the  upper 
section,  instead  of  having  a  large  drawer,  can  have  a  false  drawer  front, 
and  a  bottom  put  in.  The  top  can  then  be  hinged  and  a  high  chest  with 
two  drawers  will  result.  Or  the  top  drawer  may  be  divided  into  two 
smaller  drawers  with  good  effect. 


DETAIL  OF 


Fig.  40 


Fig.  41.     Suggestive  Designs  from  Commercial  Sources 


CEDAR  CHEST  DESIGNS  53 

SUGGESTIONS  FOR  DESIGN 

Figs.  41  and  4  la  illustrate  a  few  additional  designs  whose  working 
drawings  are  not  given.  They  may  offer  suggestions  worth  while  when 
the  builder  is  designing  his  own.  The  feet  are  especially  suggestive. 


Fig.  4  la.     Suggestive  Designs  from  Commercial  Sour 


CHAPTER  V 
The  Finishing  of  Cedar 

Red  cedar,  contrary  to  supposition,  is  not  a  hard  wood  to  finish. 
Having  a  closed  grain,  it  needs  no  filler,  which  greatly  simplifies  its  finish- 
ing. The  outside,  and  the  inner  side  of  the  cover — to  prevent  warping — 
should  be  finished;  never  the  inside  of  the  chest. 

PREPARING  THE  WOOD  FOR  FINISHING 

The  cedar  chest  should  be  prepared  for  finishing  as  any  other  piece 
of  furniture  is  prepared.  All  glue  and  rough  spots  should  be  carefully 
scraped  and  sandpapered  until  the  surface  is  entirely  free  from  defects. 
If  the  wood  in  the  chest  has  been  purchased  glued  up  and  machine  sand- 
papered, it  will  need  a  final  sandpapering  with  No.  0  or  No.  00  sandpaper. 
If  worked  down  by  hand,  it  will  need  a  great  deal  of  scraping  with  a  sharp 
scraper,  a  preliminary  rubbing  with  No.  1  sandpaper,  and  a  final  rubbing 
with  No.  0,  working  with  the  grain  in  each  case.  Careful  dusting  prepara- 
tory to  the  application  of  the  first  coat  of  finish  is  very  necessary. 

FILLING  ROUGH  SPOTS 

As  red  cedar  contains  a  great  many  knots,  planing  the  wood  by  hand — 
and  occasionally  by  machine — causes  rough  spots  to  occur  around  the 
knots.  If  these  rough  spots  are  shallow,  they  can  be  scraped  out  and  sand- 
papered, but  if  they  are  deep,  they  must  be  filled. 

There  are  a  number  of  methods  of  filling.  The  most  simple — and  least 
satisfactory — method  is  to  fill  them  with  "water  putty,"  a  dry  crack  filler 
purchased  in  powder  form  and  mixed  with  water.  When  it  has  hardened 
it  can  be  rubbed  down  with  sandpaper  and  colored  to  match  the  surround- 
ing wood.  As  this  color  will  fade  in  time,  this  method  is  not  recommended. 

A  better  method  is  to  fill  them  with  a  colored  wood  filler.  Secure  a 
small  can  of  natural  paste  wood  filler,  a  little  rose  pink  dry  stain,  and  some 
Van  Dyke  brown  dry  stain.  Thin  the  filler  with  turpentine  or  benzine 
and  add  a  quantity  of  the  Van  Dyke  brown,  well  stirred  in.  Compare 
this  color  with  that  of  the  knots  around  which  you  are  going  to  fill  and  add 
the  rose  pink  until  the  correct  shade  of  red  is  obtained.  Apply  this  filler 
to  the  knots,  and  when  perfectly  dry,  sandpaper  down  to  an  even  surface. 

A  "third  method — much  slower  than  the  other  two — is  the  application 
of  successive  coats  of  colored  shellac.  To  the  ordinary  shellac,  add  a  little 
Bismark  brown  dry  stain  until  you  get  a  color  that  will  match,  when  dry, 
the  wood  surrounding  the  rought  spots.  Apply  this  and  allow  it  to  set. 


THE  FINISHING  OF  CEDAR  55 

Sandpaper  down  and  apply  successive  coats,  rubbing  down  evenly  after 
each  until  a  level  surface  is  obtained.  Repeated  coats  of  thin  shellac  will 
look  better  and  stick  better  than  a  few  heavy  coats. 

COLORING  THE  WOOD 

Some  people  object  to  the  white  streaks  of  sap  wood  contrasting  so 
strongly  with  the  red  heart  wood,  while  others  are  of  the  opinion  that  this 
contrast  is  one  of  the  beauties  of  red  cedar.  The  author  is  of  the  opinion 
that  the  white  wood  is  not  objectionable  if  there  is  not  too  much  of  it.  Just 
what  quantity  to  allow  is  again  a  matter  of  personal  choice,  so  no  hard  and 
fast  rule  can  be  laid  down. 

To  color  the  chest  prepare  an  aniline  dye  stain  of  red  and  brown.  Cover 
the  entire  piece  with  a  thin  coat,  then  go  over  the  lighter  parts  and  streaks 
with  a  stronger  coat.  If  carefully  done,  this  should  even  up  the  color. 

If  the  maker  does  not  mix  his  own  stains,  a  red  mahogany  oil  stain  ap- 
plied in  the  same  manner  will  leave  the  same  result.  Thin  the  first  coat 
out  with  benzine. 


After  filling  and  coloring,  if  the  latter  is  desired,  the  kind  of  finish  must 
be  selected.  The  most  simple  is  the  wax  but  it  is  very  seldom  used  —  almost 
never  by  cedar  chest  manufacturers.  But  since  it  is  often  employed  by 
students  and  home  craftsmen  it  will  be  described. 

Over  the  dry  surface  apply  a  coat  of  thin  shellac,  either  white  or  orange. 
When  this  has  thoroly  dried,  rub  it  down  lightly  with  No.  00  sandpaper  and 
apply  a  second  coat.  When  this  has  set,  repeat  the  rubbing,  being  very  care- 
ful not  to  rub  thru  the  coat,  especially  on  the  edges  and  corners.  Brush  on 
the  third  coat  of  shellac  and  rub  it  down  with  a  little  boiled  linseed  oil  placd 
on  the  No.  00  sandpaper.  This  should  leave  a  smooth,  unpitted  surface. 

Finally,  apply  a  coat  of  prepared  floor  wax  and  allow  it  to  stand  over 
night.  Rub  it  briskly  with  a  dry  flannel  cloth,  bringing  it  to  a  good  polish. 
If  a  still  higher  gloss  is  desired,  put  on  a  second  coat  of  wax  and  allow  it  to 
stand  about  thirty  minutes  before  rubbing  off. 

This  finish  can  be  renewed  from  time  to  time  with  fresh  applications  of 
wax,  and  has  the  advantage  over  the  varnished  surface  of  not  showing 
scratches  as  readily.  yARNISH  FINISH 

For  a  varnish  finish  apply  but  two  coats  of  shellac  in  the  manner 
described  above,  and  two  coats  of  high  grade  rubbing  varnish. 

The  temperature  of  the  room  in  which  the  varnishing  is  accomplished 
should  be  70  degrees  F.  or  over,  and  perfectly  uniform.  The  room  should 
be  free  from  dust,  and  kept  free  after  the  varnish  has  been  applied. 


56  CEDAR  CHESTS 

Use  an  oval  varnish  brush,  well  dusted  in  the  hand.  Take  up  a  brush 
full  of  the  liquid  as  it  comes  from  the  can,  and,  starting  from  the  center  of 
the  top,  spread  it  out  to  the  edges.  Where  it  drips  over,  take  up  this  sur- 
plus with  the  end  of  the  brush.  The  sides  should  be  varnished  by  working 
down  from  the  top  edge. 

The  inside  of  the  cover  should  be  supported  so  that  the  air  can  circulate 
around  it,  otherwise  it  would  be  very  slow  in  drying. 

Allow  about  five  days  for  the  varnish  to  thoroly  dry  in  before  rubbing 
it  down.  Then  sprinkle  powdered  pumice  stone  over  the  surface,  and 
rub  it  with  a  felt  pad  (about  4"  by  5")  moistened  with  water.  Rub  all 
surfaces  while  they  are  in  a  horizontal  position  if  possible.  Rub  lightly 
and  evenly  with  the  grain,  and  be  very  sure  that  you  do  not  go  below  the 
coat  in  any  place — edges  especially. 

Wash  the  pumice  stone  off  with  water  and  rub  dry  with  a  clean  cloth 
after  which  the  second  coat  is  applied  in  the  same  manner.  Allow  this 
coat  about  five  days  in  which  to  dry  when  the  polishing  process  can  be 
started.  Rub  it  down  as  before  with  pumice  stone  and  water,  then  remove 
the  fine  scratches  left  by  the  pumice  stone  by  rubbing  in  a  similar  manner 
with  rotten  stone  and  water.  Always  rub  with  the  grain  if  possible.  Next, 
moisten  the  hand  with  linseed  oil  and  sprinkle  a  little  rotten  stone  in  it. 
Very  lightly  go  over  the  entire  surface  with  this  combination,  rubbing  with 
the  grain.  When  perfectly  smooth,  clean  the  surface  with  a  very  soft  cloth 
saturated  with  clean  oil,  and  rub  dry  with  cotton  batting. 

To  finish  the  polish,  go  over  the  entire  surface  with  another  soft  pad 
of  cotton  batting  saturated  with  some  good  furniture  polish,  or  a  thin 
mixture  of  linseed  oil,  turpentine,  and  sweet  oil.  This  should  produce  an 
extremely  brilliant  and  satisfactory  finish  if  good  materials  have  been 
used  and  care  exercised  in  their  application. 

OIL  FINISH 

If  an  oil  finish  is  desired  go  over  the  wood,  after  it  has  been  filled  and 
colored,  with  a  coat  of  hot  linseed  oil.  When  thoroly  dry,  wipe  off  the  "grease 
spots,"  if  there  are  any,  and  give  the  wood  a  coat  of  shellac.  This  can  be 
followed  with  a  second  coat  of  shellac,  rubbed  down  with  pumice  stone 
and  oil,  or  the  varnish  finish  as  described  above  can  be  applied  over  the 
second  coat  of  shellac. 

ENAMEL  FINISH 

There  is  a  modern  demand  evinced  for  enameled  and  painted  furni- 
ture, especially  in  some  of  the  Period  designs.  To  meet  this  demand, 


THE  FINISHING  OF  CEDAR 


57 


cedar  chest  manufacturers  have  recently  introduced  chests  enameled  on 
the  outside,  and  left  natural  on  the  inside,  the  designs  being  made  to  cor- 
respond with  various  periods — Adam  and  William  and  Mary  being  pre- 
dominant. 

Old  ivory — a  soft  shade  of  cream — is  the  most  popular  finish,  especial- 
ly when  decorated  parts  are  striped  with  orange,  while  black  enamel,  striped 
with  gold,  is  second  best. 

These  finishes  are  applied  in  the  conventional  manner  —  the  ivory 
enamel  being  under-coated  with  flat  white. 

On  school-made  chests  these  finishes  are  not  to  be  recommended.  In 
the  first  place,  they  are  only  temporary  fads — pretty  creations  to  catch 
the  popular  fancy  that  may  be  "old  fashioned"  next  year.  And  secondly, 
there  is  no  good  reason  for  hiding  the  natural  beauties  of  red  cedar  with 
enamels.  Carefully  selected  wood,  with  its  wonderful  contrasts  of  sap  and 
heart  wood,  certainly  give  color  enough. 


An  Early  American  Chest,  (XVII  Century) 


CHAPTER  VI 
Copper  Trimmings 

After  the  finish  on  the  chest  has  thoroly  dried,  any  copper  trimmings 
desired  can  be  applied,  providing,  of  course,  that  the  appearance  of  the 
chest  will  be  improved  by  them.  If  good  joints  have  been  obtained  on  the 
corners,  copper  corners  will  help  but  little,  but  if  the  joints  are  open,  well- 
designed  corners  will  cover  up  the  defects  without  detracting  from  the  ap- 
pearance of  the  chest.  As  a  rule,  handles  of  cedar,  well  executed,  look 
better  than  metal  pulls  attached  to  the  ends  of  the  box,  but  if  metal  corners 
are  employed  the  pulls  should  also  be  of  the  same.  If  a  lock  is  attached,  it 
will  need  an  escutcheon,  and  hinge  plates  on  the  cover  go  well  where  the 
other  metal  trimmings  are  adapted. 

Sixteen-gauge  copper  is  the  metal  usually  employed.  Brass  looks  well, 
but  it  does  not  harmonize  with  the  red  cedar  quite  as  attractively  as 
copper. 

The  design  should  be  first  worked  out  on  paper,  and  transferred  to 
the  metal  by  using  carbon  paper.  Care  should  be  exercised  with  the  de- 
signing. A  poor  design  looks  worse  than  no  design  at  all — copper  bands 
with  straight  edges  certainly  give  a  pleasing  appearance,  as  Fig.  29  shows. 
The  student  will  do  well  to  co-operate  with  the  art  teacher  when  designing 
his  trimmings.  The  illustrations  in  this  chapter  offer  suggestions  for  de- 
sign, Fig.  42  showing  escutcheons,  Fig.  43  pulls,  Fig.  44  hinge  plates,  and 
Fig.  45  corners.  Altho  these  designs  do  not  emphasize  it,  the  same  motif 
should  be  used  in  every  case.  For  example,  straight  bands  across  the  top 
should  not  be  used  with  fancy-sawed  corners.  A  reasonably  plain  hinge 
plate  will  not  look  well  on  a  chest  with  very  elaborate  pulls  and  corners. 
Care  should  be  given  this  designing  that  the  different  parts  do  not  show 
incongruity. 

ESCUTCHEONS 

The  escutcheon  can  be  small  and  plain,  or  rather  long  and  fancy. 
Fig.  42  illustrates  both  kinds.  The  design  should  be  symmetrical  about 
the  vertical  center  line.  The  key  hole  size  is  dependent  upon  the  size  of  the 
key  furnished  with  the  lock,  and  its  distance  from  the  upper  edge  is  gov- 
erned by  the  depth  of  the  key  hole  in  the  lock. 

After  the  design  has  been  carefully  traced  on  the  metal,  it  should  be 
cut  out  with  a  fine  metal  saw  in  a  jeweler's  saw  frame.  The  edges  can  then 


ZL6GUTGHE1ONS 


POT2xTIOIN5 
OUT 


Fig.  42 


DULL6 


Fig.  43 


H1NGEL     PLATL6 

—  '     • 

o 


o 


I  INCH. 


Fig.  44 


GORNElEcS 


Fig.  45 


COPPER  TRIMMINGS 


83 


Fig.  46 


be  filed  smooth.    The  inside  cutting  is  accomplished  by  first  drilling  a  small 
hole,  then  inserting  the  saw  and  re-fastening  it  in  the  frame. 
Holes  drilled  for  the  tacks  will  complete  the  construction. 

PULLS 

The  backs  of  the  pulls  are  sawed  out  exactly  like  the  escutcheon, 
the  handle  being  the  most  difficult  part  to  construct.  On  the  even  wire 
design,  a  piece  of  heavy  round  copper  can  be  bent  to  shape.  It  is  fastened 
thru  a  piece  of  thinner  metal,  which,  in  turn,  is  spread  out  after  passing 
thru  a  slot  sawed  in  the  plate,  Fig.  46.  Those  of  uneven  design,  the  first  for 


Fig.  47 


example,  can  be  sawed  and  filed  from  a  piece  of  copper  1"  thick,  or,  if  the 
school  teaches  molding,  a  wooden  pattern  the  shape  and  size  of  the  pull 
can  be  made,  a  mold  taken  from  it,  and  a  copper  casting  made  in  the  mold. 
A  little  filing  and  polishing  will  put  the  metal  pull  in  excellent  shape.  Where 
the  wire  is  thicker  in  the  middle,  it  can  be  hammered  out  or  filed  before 
bending,  as  in  Fig.  47.  The  boring  of  the  nail  holes  in  the  plate  will  com- 
plete the  construction. 


64  CEDAR  CHESTS 


Fig.  48.     Chest  Decorated  with  Deoalcomania  Transfers 


HINGE  PLATES 

Hinge  plates  are  used  on  the  cover  to  give  the  chest  a  more  massive 
appearance.  They  extend  to  the  back  edge,  or  are  bent  over  it.  After  the 
design  has  been  traced  on  the  metal,  they  are  sawed,  filed,  and  the  nail 
holes  drilled  as  before. 

CORNERS 

Corners  are  made  like  hinge  plates  with  the  addition  of  a  right  angle 
bend  in  the  middle.  This  bending  is  accomplished  by  placing  the  metal 
between  two  hardwood  pieces  screwed  up  in  a  vise,  and  driving  the  upper 
half  over  with  a  mallet.  In  some  instances,  Fig.  19  is  an  example,  the 
corner  does  not  go  around  the  end,  a  flat  plate  covering  the  end  grain  being 
fastened  on  the  front  only. 

FINISH 

The  metal  trimmings  should  be  rubbed  very  briskly  with  fine  steel 
wool,  and  polished  with  water  and  pumice  stone.  They  will  keep  this 
polish  if  coated  with  banana  oil  or  some  other  good  lacquer.  This  finish 
should  be  applied  before  the  trimmings  are  fastened  on  the  chest. 

NAILS 

Copper  nails  with  various  size  heads  can  be  obtained,  or  brass  headed 
tacks  copper  coated  can  be  used  in  their  stead.  The  copper  plating  can 
be  done  by  any  plating  concern,  and  at  a  very  small  cost. 

DECALCOMANIA  TRANSFERS 

A  line  of  chests  has  recently  appeared  on  the  market  with  decorations 
that  appear  to  be  hand  painted.  Fig.  48  gives  an  example.  This  form  of 


COPPER  TRIMMINGS 


65 


decoration  results  from  the  using  of  Decalcomania  transfers,  and,  since  it 
is  very  attractive  and  easily  applied,  deserves  notice  in  this  chapter. 

The  transfers  are  applied  in  colors  to  the  Decalcomania  paper,  in  which 
condition  they  reach  the  consumer.  The  face  of  the  transfer  is  sized  with 
a  thin  coat  of  varnish,  the  paper  is  placed  in  position  on  the  chest,  and  is 
then  soaked  off,  very  much  as  the  small  boy  soaks  off  the  old-fashioned 
transfer  pictures  from  his  hand  or  arm.  The  operation  consumes  but  very 
little  time  and  when  properly  done,  the  decoration  is  as  much  a  part  of 
the  piece  as  the  finish  itself. 

It  is  applied  over  the  final  finish,  or  it  can  be  put  on  before  the  last 
coat  of  varnish  is  placed. 

Many  excellent  designs  are  available,  especially  in  marquetry  and 
pearl  inlay  where  the  work  has  been  reproduced  so  carefully  as  to  chal- 
lenge detection.  A  chest  decorated  with  a  fine  band  of  inlay  lines  of  black 
and  holly  presents  a  wonderfully  attractive  appearance. 

Decalcomania  transfers  can  be  obtained  only  from  the  manufacturers, 
The  Meyercord  Company,  Inc.,  Chicago. 


An  Italian  Chest  of  the  Fifteenth  Century  (Made  in  Florence  about  1475) 


CHAPTER  VII 
Matting  Boxes 

Fig.  49  is  from  a  photograph  of  a  matting  box — a  form  of  chest  con- 
struction not  devoid  of  popularity,  as  its  neat  appearance  and  simple 
construction  make  it  worthy  of  considerable  favor. 

Most  matting  boxes  are  made  from  wood  other  than  cedar — cypress, 
redwood,  etc. — most  any  stock  that  can  be  secured  in  wide  pieces — thus 
doing  away  with  gluing  up.  The  pieces  are  simply  nailed  or  screwed 
together,  corner  strips  glued  in,  and  the  matting  applied.  Such  simple 
construction  makes  this  a  favorable  project  for  grammar  grade  students. 

HOW  TO  MAKE  A  MATTING  BOX 

California  redwood  is  recommended,  as  it  is  light,  straight-grained, 
and  does  not  warp  easily.  Dimensions  can  be  secured  from  the  working- 
drawings  of  the  cedar  chests  given  in  the  previous  chapters. 

The  flat  surfaces  will  need  little  planing  by  hand  since  they  will  be 
entirely  covered  on  the  outside.  The  edges  should  be  smoothly  finished, 
especially  the  upper  edges,  and  the  under  side  of  the  top  should  be  planed 
and  sandpapered. 


Fig.  49 
66 


MATTING  BOXES 


67 


Cut  the  sides  and  ends  to  the  desired  shape,  Figs.  50  and  51  offer 
excellent  suggestions,  and  square  the  ends  of  all  four  pieces.  Nail  or  screw 
the  boards  together,  and  glue  in  triangular  corner  strips  on  the  inside. 

Nail  the  bottom  in  thru  the  sides  and  ends,  making  the  nail  holes  in 
the  ends  about  three  times  as  wide  as  the  nails  to  allow  for  expansion  and 
contraction,  and  give  the  sides  a  rather  loose  fit  for  the  same  reason. 

Fit  the  top  carefully  and  round  its  upper  edges.  If  the  board  is  not 
flat  or  glued-up  from  narrow  pieces,  it  may  be  well  to  glue  and  nail  strips 
on  its  under  side  to  straighten  it  and  prevent  warping,  as  Fig.  52  illustrates. 

Shellac  over  the  outside  and  inside  of  all  pieces  with  at  least  two  coats 
of  shellac,  sandpapering  the  second  on  the  inside.  This  is  also  done  to 
prevent  warping. 


Fig.  51 


CEDAR  CHESTS 


a 


Fig.  52 

PUTTING  ON  THE  MATTING 

The  natural  colored  floor  matting  without  decoration  of  any  kind  is 
to  be  preferred.  Trim  off  its  thick  edges,  and  cut  the  pieces  carefully  to 
fit  the  surfaces,  planning  on  the  seams  coming  where  they  will  be  covered 
with  the  strips  of  cane. 

Allow  these  pieces  to  soak  in  warm  water  for  two  or  three  hours,  then 
tack  them  to  their  respective  surfaces.  Use  ordinary  carpet  tacks  with 
large  heads,  or  matting  staples.  Stretch  the  matting  very  tight  over  the 
surface  as  the  tacking  proceeds,  and  when  the  water  dries  out  a  perfect  fit 
will  be  assured. 

COVERING  THE  SEAMS  AND  EDGES 

Split  bamboo  makes  the  best  covering  for  the  seams  and  edges,  as  it 
blends  so  well  with  the  matting.  Small  fish-poles  may  be  secured,  soaked 
in  hot  water,  and  carefully  split  with  a  sharp  knife  on  a  diameter,  as  each 
section  should  be  semi-circular.  Split  bamboo  porch  screens,  at  one  time 
so  popular,  can  be  taken  apart  and  used,  or  strips  may  be  purchased  from 
a  manufacturer  of  split  bamboo  fish-poles  thru  some  sporting  goods  dealer. 

Cut  the  strips  the  exact  lengths  desired,  being  very  careful  to  make 
good  joints,  drill  small  holes  where  the  nails  will  come,  and  fasten  with 
round-head  brads  or  brass  escutcheon  pins.  Curves  that  require  much 
bending  can  be  soaked  in  hot  water  until  pliable  before  placing. 


MATTING  BOXES  69 

If  a  little  decoration  is  desired  on  the  bamboo,  hold  it  over  a  flame  at 
intervals,  scorching  the  surface  brown.  Dust  this  off  and  shellac  the 
strips  before  attaching  them. 

If  it  is  impossible  to  secure  bamboo  of  any  kind,  small  strips  of  any 
wood  stained  or  white  enameled  will  serve  very  well. 

Place  the  hinges  and  chain,  and  the  box  is  complete. 

MAKING  THE  BOX  MOTH-PROOF 

If  a  cedar  chest  has  been  constructed  and  poorly  finished,  a  covering  of 
matting  will  greatly  improve  its  appearance,  and  without  imparing  its 
moth-proof  qualities  if  it  is  not  finished  on  the  inside. 

If  an  ordinary  matting  box  has  been  made,  it  can  be  rendered  moth- 
proof by  putting  in  a  bottom  of  red  cedar,  or  covering  the  bottom  with 
cedar  shavings,  also  mixing  shavings  in  with  the  contents  of  the  box  when 
storing  them. 


INDEX 


Characteristics  of  Red  Cedar . . 

Chest  Design  No.  2 

Chest  Design  No.  3 

Chest  Design  No.  4 

Chest  Design  No.  5 

Chest  Design  No.  6. 

Chest  Design  No.  7 

Chest  Design  No.  8 

Chest  Design  No.  9 

Chest  Design  No.  10 

Chest  of  Drawers 

Coloring  the  Wood 

Copper  Corners 

Copper  Nails : 

Copper  Pulls 

Copper  Trimmings 

Corner  Strips 

Cover 

Decalcomania  Transfers 

Depletion  of  the  Cedar  Supply 
Doweling 

Enamel  Finish 

Escutcheons 

Feet 

Filling  Rough  Spots 

Finishing 

Finishing  Cedar 

Finishing  Copper 

Gluing 

Handles 

Hinge  Plates 

Hinging 


Page 

Page 

14 

Jointing  . 

.  .  .21 

31 

Jointing  and  Gluing  

...20 

33 

Joints  Used  in  Chest  Construction. 

.  ...  26 

35 

37 

Log  Houses  of  Cedar  

...   9 

39 

41 

Making  the  Box  Moth  Proof  

...69 

43 

Making  the  Chest  Dust  Proof  

.  .  .  .28 

43 

Matting  Boxes  

.  .  .66 

47 

Mill  Bill  

...17 

51 

New  England  Chests  

...15 

55 

64 

Oil  Finish  

...56 

64 

Old  Italian  Chests  

...15 

63 

58 

Placing  Bamboo  

...68 

Placing  Matting 

.  .  .68 

27 
29 

Preparing  Wood  for  Finishing  

.  .  .54 

Present  Day  Development  

...16 

64 

11 

Red  Cedar  

..  .   9 

22 

Sawing  Up  Stock  

.  .  .20 

Sides  and  Ends  .  .  .  

...19 

57 

Simple  Chest  Design  

...17 

58 

Squaring  Up  

.  .  .25 

27 

Suggestive  Designs  

...  53 

54 

Surfacing  

.  .  .24 

29 
54 

Top  and  Bottom  

...20 

64 

Under  Bed  Chest  Design  

...46 

23 

Varnish  Finish 

56 

27 

Wax  Finish  

.  .  .55 

64 

Where  Cedar  Abounds  

...9 

29 

William  and  Mary  Design  

...  47 

1377 


UNIVERSITY  OF  CALIFORNIA 

Santa  Barbara  College  Library 
Santa  Barbara,  California 

Return  to  desk  from  which  borrowed. 
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AA      000137542    7 


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